Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Garland and Mantel

12/10/08 I'm joining the party today!


I must say, I'm very happy with my festive mantel! Yesterday, I started out with the supplies I had purchased on Monday, and after a little tweaking today, I think I'm done.

Electrical cords are a necessary evil; not much I can do about it.

Using Nester's suggestions, I entwined two garlands as my base. I used a 9ft x 10" and a 9ft x 6", on sale at Old Time Pottery for $2.99 and $1.49, respectively. To fill it out a bit more, I wrapped it with a fluffier garland from Dollar Tree, which was just a single green strand and would have been fairly useless on its own.


It still needed a little more bulk in the middle, so I found the branches that had been trimmed off the Christmas tree and stuck a couple in. (The problem with that is that I don't know how long they will stay fresh. Probably not 4 to 5 weeks.) Then I started working with the rest of the stuff I got at OTP. The grassy things were $1.24 each (fall, 75% off) and the white twisty things were $.74. I gave the white things a light coat of satin nickel spray paint, and though you can't see it here, they already had a little sparkle to them.

I pulled them apart into smaller bunches, and stuck them in the garland here and there. I also used some silver ball picks I got at Dollar Tree a year or two ago, and some pinecones that I got at Salvation Army on Monday ($.49).

I like the twisty things a lot.

I used a Command hook at each end of the mantel, and one in the middle flat on the front. There is a cable tie looped around some of the garland in the middle and hooked onto that Command hook.
On the mantel, I used my beaded trees from DT, a round mirror that I bought several months ago at Goodwill and forgot about until I found it in a closet a few days ago, a smaller square mirror that I got at DT a while ago, and two glass urn-y things (can't think of the real name) filled with silver ornaments from DT. The barn stars, clock, and finial are always there.

I forgot all about the stockings until a couple minutes ago. Since they are very light, I just hooked them onto the garland itself. Actually, I'm not sure which I prefer: with or without stockings. Thoughts?

Don't forget to go to Nesting Place for more garland loveliness!

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

It looks fabulous!!!!!!!!

Julia @ Hooked on Houses said...

Wow! It's gorgeous. I love it your garland, and the stockings look great, too.

Tricia said...

Your garland looks great! I am going to stock up on after Christmas sales and hopefully have enough stuff to create one of my own. I love the twisty things too! :)

Melissa said...

Looks great! I like the "twisty" things too!

Jenny said...

Gorgeous!

Nichole said...

Your mantel and garland look great! Gotta love those Dollar Tree stocking :o)

Kasey said...

It looks great. I like how you grouped your stars.

Mandi @ Sweetly Home said...

Looks so great! I have that same fluffer garland from DT. You're right...pretty useless on it's own. :) I love your mantel! I'm a total sucker for barn stars.

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

We had the same dilemma... my kids refuse to upset tradition. Our stockings stayed, but off to the ends. YOurs is gorgeous!

Amy said...

Looks awesome - love all your decorations. I have got to get some more barn stars!

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

it looks wonderful and I like the stockings, cuz...that is what the fireplace is for!!

Erika said...

Oh how pretty everthing looks! I have those white curly thingies in gold, but I bet the white is soooo much better. The gold leaves glitter all over the place. Your whole fireplace looks just lovely!

jeanne @ Inspiring Ideas said...

Thought I already commented on this post - but here goes again - love it!! Nice accents!

Kristi said...

Now that is gorgeous! Very impressive. I love, love, love the Texas stars too. Christmas blessings to you and your family!

M.L. @ The House of Whimsy said...

Oh So Pretty!! I went crazy over your close-ups. Great Job!

Thrifty Decor Chick said...

That is beautiful!

Sassy Gal said...

Very beautiful work! Not one thing about it says "DT"....you are talented!!!

The Nester said...

Stunning!

Love the mantel decorations as well! I wish I didn't have to use those pesky shutters so I could actually use pretty things like you on my mantel!

For that cord--if it's bothering you, get a white extension cord and plug it in and run it in down along the floor in the corner butted up next to the molding {a spot of hot glue to hold it} then run it up the side of the fireplace along the corner where the wall meets the fireplace {again--a few spots of hot glue} and then hide the plug junk behind the greenery up on the mantel.

You won't even notice it! Extension cords aren't just for when your cord won't reach--they can help hide uglies!

Thanks for joining in!

Denise K. said...

I think your mantle is just gorgeous!!! Great job and Merry Christmas to you and your family! :-)

Shannon said...

It looks great Holly! I love it!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Holly, you did a great job! Just perfection! Like all your barn stars, too...

XO,

Sheila

rachel said...

pretty! i like your mantle!

The Writer Chic said...

So pretty...I love the asymetry of the barn stars!

Anonymous said...

I love your garland, and the twisty/curly things are wonderful (gotta get me some of those). Thanks for mentioning that you use the command hooks. I was wondering how I was going to attach a garland to my all brick fireplace. Now I know!

CMB said...

Wow...very beautiful, love the mixture of textures! Cords can be a real pain...I use clear packing tape to tape mine where the fireplace meets the wall all the way to the floor.

Judy @ In His Grip said...

Your garland is great. It makes me want to go back and add more things to mine.

::Traci:: said...

Very pretty!!!

Carry Grace said...

Your mantle is beautiful!

Stephanie said...

That looks so beautiful! I am getting so many great ideas from this!

Merry Christmas

Anonymous said...

Your mantel looks great! I love all your comments on your bargins...I feel your excitement! I found flowers for $1.49 today and I've told everyone! My husband tried to act interested! :)

-Kim

Paula said...

Oh you have to have the stockings. Love it thanks for sharing your ideas.

Anonymous said...

Your garland is one of my top favs that I've seen so far from the Nester link! It's beautiful and I'm gonna try to snag some after Christmas sales this year with your silver theme in mind! Thanks!

Unknown said...

So pretty! I really love all the silver accents. Personally, I think the stockings are wonderful!

Trisha said...

Lovely Mantel!
Happiest of Holiday!
Trisha Evans
a vintage white
my2roses

leigh ann said...

I love your garland!! I like how you arranged everything, and I love your bargains. I'm going to have to visit Dollar Tree.

Astrid in Bristling Acres said...

OOOOoooo! Your garland is absolutely fabulous!

Gretchen said...

Your colors and attention to detail are wonderful.
So calming and yet festive!

Tamara Jansen said...

Gorgeous!

lea said...

hi!i look it up its fantastic ,me to i love to creat a things not only a christmas decor i have a lots of imagination just like you..its beautiful..god work..